Checklist for sustainability communication
In a blogpost for leading Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, evolutionary psychologist and university professor Mark van Vugt explains why we have not yet collectively switched to a sustainable lifestyle — even though we all know we should.
It’s not in our instincts.
Our Stone Age brains are wired for other purposes. Van Vugt explains:
Evolution fitted us with a particular psychology for leading a lifestyle of hunter-gatherer (as our ancesters would do for millions of years). They came, ate everything, and moved on to a new place. This psychology makes it difficult to lead a sustainable lifestyle in a modern world of scarcity.
He identifies 5 counter-sustainable human instincts:
- We care more about ourselves than about humanity in general
- We appreciate the present more than the future
- We are not used to deal with problems at a worldwide scale, especially when we can’t see, hear, smell, or feel them
- We copy the behavior of the people around us
- We are competitive, set on increasing our status and wealth compared to others
So while at a certain level we understand that the environment is threatened, we don’t feel it. And if we don’t feel it, our brain doesn’t act upon it.
However.
The 5 insights that Van Vugt give us 5 practical leads on how to market our message. Whatever we communicate, it has to be about:
- Me, not we or some other undefined group
- Now, not tomorrow or maybe-or-not in the future
- Close-by, not in an other state or far away in the world
- Socially proven, your peers or your heroes are doing it already
- Status, making me look cool and successful
Quite a good checklist!
Index
“Make the world work, for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.” - R. Buckminster Fuller
1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
On sustainability
- The Story of Stuff (2016)
- See no evil (2016)
- Sustainability is a political problem (2016)
- Use it all up (2016)
2. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE WORLD WORKS
On nature
- Nederland als rivierdelta (2023)
- What more do you want (2021)
- Opposite directions (2015)
- Nature VS. artifice (2015)
- The lowest state of energy (2015)
On human nature
- All of us possess ‘strongly positive directional tendencies’ (2022)
- De richting van chaos (The direction of chaos) (2020)
- The collective consciousness (2016)
- An overture on consciousness (2016)
- What makes humans different? (2016)
- Distinction, not individuality (2016)
- Grief (2016)
- Human body heat map of emotions (2015)
- Existential conservatism (2015)
- Quote: Undercurrent (2015)
On the meaning of life and living
- You are a leaf on a tree that has been growing for billions of years (2023)
- You are not just studying for your future (2021)
On culture
- Culture overrules nature (2016)
On morality
- Scarcity / Gratitude (2017)
3. UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE WORKS
On the Next Level Society
- Quote: Ancient Heart (2023)
On behavioral change
- How do we open people up to the idea of change in a time that screams for control? (2018)
- People don't change (2020)
- The one-senctence persuasion course (2017)
On marketing sustainability
- How creative agencies will save the world (2017)
- Why don’t people change their unsustainable ways? (2017)
- Sustainability needs marketing (2016)
- The carrot, the stick, the scenery and the cool (2016)
- How our focus on individual accountability puts the brakes on progress (2016)
- Checklist for sustainability communication (2016)
- Rule #6 in sustainability communication: Don’t tell me I’m wrong (2016)
- Wanted: Adjective (2016)
- Framing farming (2016)
- We’re not saving the planet (2016)
- Brainstorm: Uitkomsten - Van weten naar willen (2015)
- Brainstorm: Oproep! (2015)
4-A. FIXING HOW WE DESIGN THE WORLD
On naturalness
- Why we crave naturalness (these days) (2015)
- 顺其自然 (2015)
- What is naturalness? (2015)
On naturalness in behaviour
- Quote: Love someone exactly as they are (2022)
- Part of the Art: Levenslessen van een kunstenaar (2020)
- Deep listening (2020)
- Naturalness in Taoism (2020)
- Comfort car (2016)
- Quote: Trust yourself (2015)
- Quote: Unapologetically herself (2015)
- Deep ecology (2015)
- Naturalness in human behaviour (2015)
On naturalness in art
- Tokkelen / En opeens maken je vingers een fout (2020)
- Quote: Beauty is found... (2019)
- What art does (2015)
Artworks of interest
- The artist-free art of Semâ Bekirovic (2020)
- 4'33" (2020)
- The Magic Carpet of Daniel Wurtzel (2016)
- The generative systems of Brandon Morse (2016)
- This photo of Loouis Fernandes (2016)
- The Lotus wall of Daan Roosegaarde (2015)
- The mobiles of Alexander Calder (2015)
- The drawing trees of Tim Knowles (2015)
- The barely controllable brushes of Fabienne Verdier (2015)
On naturalness in architecture
- Principles of a great playground experience (2017)
- Unscripted use (2016)
- Acting natural does not mean: re-enacting nature (2015)
- 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)
Architecture of interest: naturalness
- Change is life (2019)
- Movable homes (2016)
- University building in Kolding, Denmark (2015)
- New Andean (2015)
On livable architecture
- Co-housing: The Wandelmeent (2016)
- The 'Cauliflower neighborhood' and the 'Woonerf' (2016)
- An organic approach to city design, or: Getting out of the way (2016)
- To watch: The Human Scale (2016)
- Cars make us lonely (2016)
- Flex (2016)
- Everyman's architecture (2016)
Architecture of interest: livability
- Zumthor vs Hadid (2021)
- Pluralist Tower (2020)
- Kowloon Walled City (2016)
On naturalness in design
- Dynamic art, architecture and design (2020)
- The three scopes of human design (2017)
- 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)
Design works of interest
- AI-generated rugs (2020)
- Open Up lamp (2015)
4-B. FIXING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES
On well-being, self care and happiness
- Enough (2023)
- On old age (2022)
- To care is to self-care (2020)
- Quote: A little bit of 'I want to save the world' (2020)
- 8 key rules of living - A manifesto by Alain de Botton (2020)
- Modes: Make every time, quality time (2020)
- Daily dents (2018)
- Alternative missions (2016)
- Quote: Lightly, child (2016)
- Education (2016)
- Exercise in the recognition of virtuous feelings (2015)
4-C. FIXING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY
On responsible business
- Ethical marketing yardstick (2023)
- Notes on responsible marketing (2020)
- Notes on Net Positive Business (2020)
- Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 1 (2019)
- Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 2 (2019)
- Let's talk: Hoe ziet een responsible business er nu werkeljk nu? (2019)
- How big corporates frame our world in their benefit (and against ours) (2019)
- Public spaces should be ad-free (2018)
- Globalisation is not a natural phenomenon (2017)
- Judging the merit of a business (2017)
- The Business Ethic (2015)
On Positive Design & design ethics
- Think UX' talk over Positive Design (slides + podcast) (2018)
- On manipulation (2016)
- The essence of a gun (2016)
- We're bad parents (2014)
On privacy
- Deel 1: Het 3-factor model van privacy (2020)
- Deel 2: De uitdagingen van online privacy (2020)
- Deel 3: Zo kan privacy ook (2020)
Progressieve bureaus van Nederland, 2021
- Categorie: Digital (2021)
- Categorie: Branding & communicatie (2021)
- Categorie: Strategische innovatie (2021)
- Categorie: Product design (2021)
- Categorie: Systems change (2021)
- Categorie: Freelance collectieven (2021)
OTHER NOTES AND WRITINGS
On digital design, CX/UX, and technology
- Mind states, or: How to describe a User Experience (2016)
- Quote: The real problem of humanity (2016)
- Quote: Staying human in the Machine Age (2016)
- Quote: Good design... (2016)
- De slapende potentie van je Verbal Identity (2014)
On the travel & hospitality industry
- Cooperation across the travel sector: who’s in? (2018)
- Samenwerken in de reisbranche: wie durft? (2018)
- Travel sector seeks greater cooperation and more knowledge about travelers (2018)
- A state of liminality: How understanding traveler psychology can facilitate smarter investments (2018)
- A state of liminality: Hoe begrip van de psychologie van de reiziger helpt om slimmer te investeren (2018)
Miscellaneous
- MIMI-model (2023)
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being… isn’t that unbearable (2021)
- Quote: On writing (2020)
- Ghosts (2017)
- Link dump, 2 (2016)
- Link dump, 1 (2016)
- The Clock of the Long Now (2016)
- Learning styles (2016)
- Gentle reminder (2016)
- Summer (2016)
- Opinion-size-shape-colour-origin-material-purpose noun (2016)
- The perfect walk (2015)
- The mind grows thoughts (2015)
- Still there (2015)
- Bigger (2015)
- Trimennen (2002)
On minimalism
- Multiple articles published at Understanding Minimalism →
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